Darrell Dean Murphy, died June 12, 1995 in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, AZ. Murphy had lived in the Quartzsite area for 5 years, having moved from Oregon.
Born April 6, 1930 in Emmett, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Murphy, he became affiliated with numerous organizations and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Murphy married his high school sweetheart Jeany Root and had 3 children: Steven, [Living] and [Living].
Darrell Dean Murphy loved his wife, children, hunting and fishing, carpentry, his job and all his activities. He has friends and acquaintances scattered all over the world.
Survivors: wife Jean; children Steven, [Living] and [Living]; brothers William R. Murphy and La Von Murphy; sisters Donna Rowland and Bonnie Doyle; six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and little brother.
Service was held Friday, June 16 at Parker Funeral Home,
Published in The Sun Times of La Paz County, Arizona & The La Grande Observer, La Grande, Oregon.
Thursday, June 22, 1995.
Bio: Served in the US Navy 2 1/2 years - Fire Control Technician aboard the USS Bairoko with delivery of fighter jets and crews to Japan during the Korean War. Achieved rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class. On May 9, 1951, five sailors were killed and 13 injured while the Bairoko was docked in Japan. Murph had just stepped off the top of the ladder to the boiler room when the explosion occurred. He was uninjured in the blast, but he lost two friends in the explosion, and he would 'jump and run' at any unexpected noise for the rest of his life. He brought home many gifts for Jeanie, but the best gift he came home with was probably the colorful version of some language that always brought levity and laughter into play. "Umgotcheewa" is a close assimilation, but there was more, accompanied by a red- faced Irishman in total exasperation.
Immediately following his discharge from the Navy, Darrell went to work for West Coast Telephone Company in Crescent City, California. It was in Orick, CA in November of 1956, that Murph discovered a telephone pole was rotting and he slated it for replacement, but before it got replaced the phone service in Orick went out – at that same pole. He was unsettled that he was going to have to climb it with his hooks & belts to restore phone service to the isolated community. It was just then that the company had changed to two safety belts instead of just one, so when Murph's hooks slid down through the rotten pole and he landed on his feet at the bottom, it was the second belt that snapped his back. It was bad. It cracked three vertebrae, destroyed the discs between them and dislodged his kidneys. He spent two weeks in the hospital and several more at home until he recovered enough. After that, Murph couldn't sneeze without hurting his back, and his 'jump and run' reactions to sudden noises hurt him again, and again. He learned to stifle his sneezes, but it was a hard thing to watch happen because you knew how much it hurt him. Although you would see him walking with one hip jutting out and knew he was hurt again, he never complained about his back, and he never let it keep him from going to work after that initial recovery.
Darrell and Jean were lovers. Hand in hand and heart to heart. They were stopped by California Highway Patrol dancing down the center line of Highway 101, in the late 1950's on their anniversary. Another anniversary, they ended up their evening necking on the beach. Throughout the years they shared family camping trips, river fishing, boating, hunting deer and elk, and annual 2 week vacations to Brookings, Oregon for salmon fishing and time with their multi-generational family members. Evenings spent camping on the Chetco River, you could see Darrell and Jean walking hand in hand up the river, and you didn't know how long they would be gone.
Darrell's work took the family from Crescent City, California to Cornelius, Oregon and finally to La Grande, Oregon. In La Grande they settled their family into an 1889 Victorian home (that turned out to be a Sear's Kit House) on 2 1/2 city lots. So, Darrell and Jean spent years updating their wonderful house, working in their vegetable garden and surrounding the property in lush gardens of flowers. Over time, they were joined by Darrell's little sister Bonnie and her family, and later his brother Bill and wife Ruth moved to the area, too.
While living in La Grande, Murph joined the La Grande Police Auxiliary, and faithfully served as a uniformed officer in support of the Police Department. Darrell served the program from November, 1968 to October 1976, and his resignation was accepted by the Chief of Police with personal thanks, appreciation and reluctance.
He retired from work December 18, 1986, with 35 years of good service to West Coast Telephone Company and it's successor, General Telephone & Electronics, as Service Supervisor, Construction. He had a dedicated and supportive associate in Donna Chenult, his secretary and friend, and he took a lot of pleasure in his construction crew, an affection that was evident, mutual, and demonstrated well throughout the informal, unofficial retirement party that his crew threw for him.
It was after buying vacant land in La Paz Valley, south of Quartzsite, Arizona, while their well was being dug, that new neighbors showed up on a couple of vacant properties about 1 ½ blocks south of their property and across the wash.
With coffee cups in hand, the Murphy's set out to "mosey across the wash" to meet the new neighbors. When the Murphy's arrived, there was a big guy with a shovel crossing the yard, so Murph approached him saying "Hi, I'm Darrell Murphy and this is my wife, Jean." To that, the big guy repeated "Darrell Murphy?" Then he asked, "Did you ever spend any time in Boise?" As Darrell sputtered, Jean replied, "Yes, but a long time ago." Then the big guy asked, "Did your folks live out on Hill Road?" And a still stunned Darrell replied, "Well, yes." Then the big guy erupted into "Well, you Son-of-a-Bitch, I'm your best friend Art Cox and I've been looking for you for 42 years!" Accompanying Art was Pat, Art's former Boise High girlfriend, and years later his wife, and David Mallard, another school friend, and his wife Nancy. From that moment on, the Murphy's lives were changed. They all worked together gathering firewood, extracting flagstone from 'The Point' for patios, and helping each other establish their desert homes. They also shared the desert with each other, taking sightseeing drives, hikes, and searching for desert roses, crystals, and geodes. They played together, dined together in each other's houses, gathered around campfires enjoying pot luck dinners and each other's company, and everybody's extended families.
For the Murphy's, life was grand in La Paz Valley. They were joined by Darrell's sister Donna and husband Jack, (who shared a very special friendship with Darrell that predated his marriage to Donna), Darrell's uncle H. Lloyd Cousin and wife Rae came for winters, and Darrell's brother Von and wife Mary settled in Arizona, too. The Murphy's entertained many, many visiting family members and friends there, always in their relaxed comfortable style.
And then, Darrell Dean Murphy died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 12, 1995, at age 65 years, 2 months and 7 days, at his home in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, Arizona, where he and his wife, Jean, had lived for 5 years, having moved there from La Grande, Oregon.
Cause of Death: Cardiac Tamponade, caused by Aortic Dissection
Born: April 6, 1930, in Emmett, Gem County, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Marie (Cousin) Murphy, both of whom died in a train/car collision in 1960, when Darrell was 30 years old.
Darrell & Jean Murphy celebrated 45 2/3 years of happiness, togetherness and all that goes into making a good marriage GREAT. Written by Jeanie Murphy
Survivors Included His Wife: Barbara Jean (Root) Murphy, Age 63, whom he called Jean, when he could remember her name. Written by Jeanie
A Funeral Service was held Friday, June 16th, 1995, at Parker Funeral Home, Parker, Arizona for those who came to Arizona in the sweltering heat, followed by a Memorial Picnic outside of La Grande, at his brother's house in Union, Oregon on Sunday, July 2nd, 1995, for the many friends and family members who came there. We all felt lost.
Born April 6, 1930 in Emmett, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Murphy, he became affiliated with numerous organizations and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Murphy married his high school sweetheart Jeany Root and had 3 children: Steven, [Living] and [Living].
Darrell Dean Murphy loved his wife, children, hunting and fishing, carpentry, his job and all his activities. He has friends and acquaintances scattered all over the world.
Survivors: wife Jean; children Steven, [Living] and [Living]; brothers William R. Murphy and La Von Murphy; sisters Donna Rowland and Bonnie Doyle; six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and little brother.
Service was held Friday, June 16 at Parker Funeral Home,
Published in The Sun Times of La Paz County, Arizona & The La Grande Observer, La Grande, Oregon.
Thursday, June 22, 1995.
Bio: Served in the US Navy 2 1/2 years - Fire Control Technician aboard the USS Bairoko with delivery of fighter jets and crews to Japan during the Korean War. Achieved rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class. On May 9, 1951, five sailors were killed and 13 injured while the Bairoko was docked in Japan. Murph had just stepped off the top of the ladder to the boiler room when the explosion occurred. He was uninjured in the blast, but he lost two friends in the explosion, and he would 'jump and run' at any unexpected noise for the rest of his life. He brought home many gifts for Jeanie, but the best gift he came home with was probably the colorful version of some language that always brought levity and laughter into play. "Umgotcheewa" is a close assimilation, but there was more, accompanied by a red- faced Irishman in total exasperation.
Immediately following his discharge from the Navy, Darrell went to work for West Coast Telephone Company in Crescent City, California. It was in Orick, CA in November of 1956, that Murph discovered a telephone pole was rotting and he slated it for replacement, but before it got replaced the phone service in Orick went out – at that same pole. He was unsettled that he was going to have to climb it with his hooks & belts to restore phone service to the isolated community. It was just then that the company had changed to two safety belts instead of just one, so when Murph's hooks slid down through the rotten pole and he landed on his feet at the bottom, it was the second belt that snapped his back. It was bad. It cracked three vertebrae, destroyed the discs between them and dislodged his kidneys. He spent two weeks in the hospital and several more at home until he recovered enough. After that, Murph couldn't sneeze without hurting his back, and his 'jump and run' reactions to sudden noises hurt him again, and again. He learned to stifle his sneezes, but it was a hard thing to watch happen because you knew how much it hurt him. Although you would see him walking with one hip jutting out and knew he was hurt again, he never complained about his back, and he never let it keep him from going to work after that initial recovery.
Darrell and Jean were lovers. Hand in hand and heart to heart. They were stopped by California Highway Patrol dancing down the center line of Highway 101, in the late 1950's on their anniversary. Another anniversary, they ended up their evening necking on the beach. Throughout the years they shared family camping trips, river fishing, boating, hunting deer and elk, and annual 2 week vacations to Brookings, Oregon for salmon fishing and time with their multi-generational family members. Evenings spent camping on the Chetco River, you could see Darrell and Jean walking hand in hand up the river, and you didn't know how long they would be gone.
Darrell's work took the family from Crescent City, California to Cornelius, Oregon and finally to La Grande, Oregon. In La Grande they settled their family into an 1889 Victorian home (that turned out to be a Sear's Kit House) on 2 1/2 city lots. So, Darrell and Jean spent years updating their wonderful house, working in their vegetable garden and surrounding the property in lush gardens of flowers. Over time, they were joined by Darrell's little sister Bonnie and her family, and later his brother Bill and wife Ruth moved to the area, too.
While living in La Grande, Murph joined the La Grande Police Auxiliary, and faithfully served as a uniformed officer in support of the Police Department. Darrell served the program from November, 1968 to October 1976, and his resignation was accepted by the Chief of Police with personal thanks, appreciation and reluctance.
He retired from work December 18, 1986, with 35 years of good service to West Coast Telephone Company and it's successor, General Telephone & Electronics, as Service Supervisor, Construction. He had a dedicated and supportive associate in Donna Chenult, his secretary and friend, and he took a lot of pleasure in his construction crew, an affection that was evident, mutual, and demonstrated well throughout the informal, unofficial retirement party that his crew threw for him.
It was after buying vacant land in La Paz Valley, south of Quartzsite, Arizona, while their well was being dug, that new neighbors showed up on a couple of vacant properties about 1 ½ blocks south of their property and across the wash.
With coffee cups in hand, the Murphy's set out to "mosey across the wash" to meet the new neighbors. When the Murphy's arrived, there was a big guy with a shovel crossing the yard, so Murph approached him saying "Hi, I'm Darrell Murphy and this is my wife, Jean." To that, the big guy repeated "Darrell Murphy?" Then he asked, "Did you ever spend any time in Boise?" As Darrell sputtered, Jean replied, "Yes, but a long time ago." Then the big guy asked, "Did your folks live out on Hill Road?" And a still stunned Darrell replied, "Well, yes." Then the big guy erupted into "Well, you Son-of-a-Bitch, I'm your best friend Art Cox and I've been looking for you for 42 years!" Accompanying Art was Pat, Art's former Boise High girlfriend, and years later his wife, and David Mallard, another school friend, and his wife Nancy. From that moment on, the Murphy's lives were changed. They all worked together gathering firewood, extracting flagstone from 'The Point' for patios, and helping each other establish their desert homes. They also shared the desert with each other, taking sightseeing drives, hikes, and searching for desert roses, crystals, and geodes. They played together, dined together in each other's houses, gathered around campfires enjoying pot luck dinners and each other's company, and everybody's extended families.
For the Murphy's, life was grand in La Paz Valley. They were joined by Darrell's sister Donna and husband Jack, (who shared a very special friendship with Darrell that predated his marriage to Donna), Darrell's uncle H. Lloyd Cousin and wife Rae came for winters, and Darrell's brother Von and wife Mary settled in Arizona, too. The Murphy's entertained many, many visiting family members and friends there, always in their relaxed comfortable style.
And then, Darrell Dean Murphy died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 12, 1995, at age 65 years, 2 months and 7 days, at his home in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, Arizona, where he and his wife, Jean, had lived for 5 years, having moved there from La Grande, Oregon.
Cause of Death: Cardiac Tamponade, caused by Aortic Dissection
Born: April 6, 1930, in Emmett, Gem County, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Marie (Cousin) Murphy, both of whom died in a train/car collision in 1960, when Darrell was 30 years old.
Darrell & Jean Murphy celebrated 45 2/3 years of happiness, togetherness and all that goes into making a good marriage GREAT. Written by Jeanie Murphy
Survivors Included His Wife: Barbara Jean (Root) Murphy, Age 63, whom he called Jean, when he could remember her name. Written by Jeanie
A Funeral Service was held Friday, June 16th, 1995, at Parker Funeral Home, Parker, Arizona for those who came to Arizona in the sweltering heat, followed by a Memorial Picnic outside of La Grande, at his brother's house in Union, Oregon on Sunday, July 2nd, 1995, for the many friends and family members who came there. We all felt lost.
Darrell Dean Murphy, died June 12, 1995 in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, AZ. Murphy had lived in the Quartzsite area for 5 years, having moved from Oregon.
Born April 6, 1930 in Emmett, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Murphy, he became affiliated with numerous organizations and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Murphy married his high school sweetheart Jeany Root and had 3 children: Steven, [Living] and [Living].
Darrell Dean Murphy loved his wife, children, hunting and fishing, carpentry, his job and all his activities. He has friends and acquaintances scattered all over the world.
Survivors: wife Jean; children Steven, [Living] and [Living]; brothers William R. Murphy and La Von Murphy; sisters Donna Rowland and Bonnie Doyle; six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and little brother.
Service was held Friday, June 16 at Parker Funeral Home,
Published in The Sun Times of La Paz County, Arizona & The La Grande Observer, La Grande, Oregon.
Thursday, June 22, 1995.
Bio: Served in the US Navy 2 1/2 years - Fire Control Technician aboard the USS Bairoko with delivery of fighter jets and crews to Japan during the Korean War. Achieved rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class. On May 9, 1951, five sailors were killed and 13 injured while the Bairoko was docked in Japan. Murph had just stepped off the top of the ladder to the boiler room when the explosion occurred. He was uninjured in the blast, but he lost two friends in the explosion, and he would 'jump and run' at any unexpected noise for the rest of his life. He brought home many gifts for Jeanie, but the best gift he came home with was probably the colorful version of some language that always brought levity and laughter into play. "Umgotcheewa" is a close assimilation, but there was more, accompanied by a red- faced Irishman in total exasperation.
Immediately following his discharge from the Navy, Darrell went to work for West Coast Telephone Company in Crescent City, California. It was in Orick, CA in November of 1956, that Murph discovered a telephone pole was rotting and he slated it for replacement, but before it got replaced the phone service in Orick went out – at that same pole. He was unsettled that he was going to have to climb it with his hooks & belts to restore phone service to the isolated community. It was just then that the company had changed to two safety belts instead of just one, so when Murph's hooks slid down through the rotten pole and he landed on his feet at the bottom, it was the second belt that snapped his back. It was bad. It cracked three vertebrae, destroyed the discs between them and dislodged his kidneys. He spent two weeks in the hospital and several more at home until he recovered enough. After that, Murph couldn't sneeze without hurting his back, and his 'jump and run' reactions to sudden noises hurt him again, and again. He learned to stifle his sneezes, but it was a hard thing to watch happen because you knew how much it hurt him. Although you would see him walking with one hip jutting out and knew he was hurt again, he never complained about his back, and he never let it keep him from going to work after that initial recovery.
Darrell and Jean were lovers. Hand in hand and heart to heart. They were stopped by California Highway Patrol dancing down the center line of Highway 101, in the late 1950's on their anniversary. Another anniversary, they ended up their evening necking on the beach. Throughout the years they shared family camping trips, river fishing, boating, hunting deer and elk, and annual 2 week vacations to Brookings, Oregon for salmon fishing and time with their multi-generational family members. Evenings spent camping on the Chetco River, you could see Darrell and Jean walking hand in hand up the river, and you didn't know how long they would be gone.
Darrell's work took the family from Crescent City, California to Cornelius, Oregon and finally to La Grande, Oregon. In La Grande they settled their family into an 1889 Victorian home (that turned out to be a Sear's Kit House) on 2 1/2 city lots. So, Darrell and Jean spent years updating their wonderful house, working in their vegetable garden and surrounding the property in lush gardens of flowers. Over time, they were joined by Darrell's little sister Bonnie and her family, and later his brother Bill and wife Ruth moved to the area, too.
While living in La Grande, Murph joined the La Grande Police Auxiliary, and faithfully served as a uniformed officer in support of the Police Department. Darrell served the program from November, 1968 to October 1976, and his resignation was accepted by the Chief of Police with personal thanks, appreciation and reluctance.
He retired from work December 18, 1986, with 35 years of good service to West Coast Telephone Company and it's successor, General Telephone & Electronics, as Service Supervisor, Construction. He had a dedicated and supportive associate in Donna Chenult, his secretary and friend, and he took a lot of pleasure in his construction crew, an affection that was evident, mutual, and demonstrated well throughout the informal, unofficial retirement party that his crew threw for him.
It was after buying vacant land in La Paz Valley, south of Quartzsite, Arizona, while their well was being dug, that new neighbors showed up on a couple of vacant properties about 1 ½ blocks south of their property and across the wash.
With coffee cups in hand, the Murphy's set out to "mosey across the wash" to meet the new neighbors. When the Murphy's arrived, there was a big guy with a shovel crossing the yard, so Murph approached him saying "Hi, I'm Darrell Murphy and this is my wife, Jean." To that, the big guy repeated "Darrell Murphy?" Then he asked, "Did you ever spend any time in Boise?" As Darrell sputtered, Jean replied, "Yes, but a long time ago." Then the big guy asked, "Did your folks live out on Hill Road?" And a still stunned Darrell replied, "Well, yes." Then the big guy erupted into "Well, you Son-of-a-Bitch, I'm your best friend Art Cox and I've been looking for you for 42 years!" Accompanying Art was Pat, Art's former Boise High girlfriend, and years later his wife, and David Mallard, another school friend, and his wife Nancy. From that moment on, the Murphy's lives were changed. They all worked together gathering firewood, extracting flagstone from 'The Point' for patios, and helping each other establish their desert homes. They also shared the desert with each other, taking sightseeing drives, hikes, and searching for desert roses, crystals, and geodes. They played together, dined together in each other's houses, gathered around campfires enjoying pot luck dinners and each other's company, and everybody's extended families.
For the Murphy's, life was grand in La Paz Valley. They were joined by Darrell's sister Donna and husband Jack, (who shared a very special friendship with Darrell that predated his marriage to Donna), Darrell's uncle H. Lloyd Cousin and wife Rae came for winters, and Darrell's brother Von and wife Mary settled in Arizona, too. The Murphy's entertained many, many visiting family members and friends there, always in their relaxed comfortable style.
And then, Darrell Dean Murphy died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 12, 1995, at age 65 years, 2 months and 7 days, at his home in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, Arizona, where he and his wife, Jean, had lived for 5 years, having moved there from La Grande, Oregon.
Cause of Death: Cardiac Tamponade, caused by Aortic Dissection
Born: April 6, 1930, in Emmett, Gem County, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Marie (Cousin) Murphy, both of whom died in a train/car collision in 1960, when Darrell was 30 years old.
Darrell & Jean Murphy celebrated 45 2/3 years of happiness, togetherness and all that goes into making a good marriage GREAT. Written by Jeanie Murphy
Survivors Included His Wife: Barbara Jean (Root) Murphy, Age 63, whom he called Jean, when he could remember her name. Written by Jeanie
A Funeral Service was held Friday, June 16th, 1995, at Parker Funeral Home, Parker, Arizona for those who came to Arizona in the sweltering heat, followed by a Memorial Picnic outside of La Grande, at his brother's house in Union, Oregon on Sunday, July 2nd, 1995, for the many friends and family members who came there. We all felt lost.
Born April 6, 1930 in Emmett, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Murphy, he became affiliated with numerous organizations and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Murphy married his high school sweetheart Jeany Root and had 3 children: Steven, [Living] and [Living].
Darrell Dean Murphy loved his wife, children, hunting and fishing, carpentry, his job and all his activities. He has friends and acquaintances scattered all over the world.
Survivors: wife Jean; children Steven, [Living] and [Living]; brothers William R. Murphy and La Von Murphy; sisters Donna Rowland and Bonnie Doyle; six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and little brother.
Service was held Friday, June 16 at Parker Funeral Home,
Published in The Sun Times of La Paz County, Arizona & The La Grande Observer, La Grande, Oregon.
Thursday, June 22, 1995.
Bio: Served in the US Navy 2 1/2 years - Fire Control Technician aboard the USS Bairoko with delivery of fighter jets and crews to Japan during the Korean War. Achieved rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class. On May 9, 1951, five sailors were killed and 13 injured while the Bairoko was docked in Japan. Murph had just stepped off the top of the ladder to the boiler room when the explosion occurred. He was uninjured in the blast, but he lost two friends in the explosion, and he would 'jump and run' at any unexpected noise for the rest of his life. He brought home many gifts for Jeanie, but the best gift he came home with was probably the colorful version of some language that always brought levity and laughter into play. "Umgotcheewa" is a close assimilation, but there was more, accompanied by a red- faced Irishman in total exasperation.
Immediately following his discharge from the Navy, Darrell went to work for West Coast Telephone Company in Crescent City, California. It was in Orick, CA in November of 1956, that Murph discovered a telephone pole was rotting and he slated it for replacement, but before it got replaced the phone service in Orick went out – at that same pole. He was unsettled that he was going to have to climb it with his hooks & belts to restore phone service to the isolated community. It was just then that the company had changed to two safety belts instead of just one, so when Murph's hooks slid down through the rotten pole and he landed on his feet at the bottom, it was the second belt that snapped his back. It was bad. It cracked three vertebrae, destroyed the discs between them and dislodged his kidneys. He spent two weeks in the hospital and several more at home until he recovered enough. After that, Murph couldn't sneeze without hurting his back, and his 'jump and run' reactions to sudden noises hurt him again, and again. He learned to stifle his sneezes, but it was a hard thing to watch happen because you knew how much it hurt him. Although you would see him walking with one hip jutting out and knew he was hurt again, he never complained about his back, and he never let it keep him from going to work after that initial recovery.
Darrell and Jean were lovers. Hand in hand and heart to heart. They were stopped by California Highway Patrol dancing down the center line of Highway 101, in the late 1950's on their anniversary. Another anniversary, they ended up their evening necking on the beach. Throughout the years they shared family camping trips, river fishing, boating, hunting deer and elk, and annual 2 week vacations to Brookings, Oregon for salmon fishing and time with their multi-generational family members. Evenings spent camping on the Chetco River, you could see Darrell and Jean walking hand in hand up the river, and you didn't know how long they would be gone.
Darrell's work took the family from Crescent City, California to Cornelius, Oregon and finally to La Grande, Oregon. In La Grande they settled their family into an 1889 Victorian home (that turned out to be a Sear's Kit House) on 2 1/2 city lots. So, Darrell and Jean spent years updating their wonderful house, working in their vegetable garden and surrounding the property in lush gardens of flowers. Over time, they were joined by Darrell's little sister Bonnie and her family, and later his brother Bill and wife Ruth moved to the area, too.
While living in La Grande, Murph joined the La Grande Police Auxiliary, and faithfully served as a uniformed officer in support of the Police Department. Darrell served the program from November, 1968 to October 1976, and his resignation was accepted by the Chief of Police with personal thanks, appreciation and reluctance.
He retired from work December 18, 1986, with 35 years of good service to West Coast Telephone Company and it's successor, General Telephone & Electronics, as Service Supervisor, Construction. He had a dedicated and supportive associate in Donna Chenult, his secretary and friend, and he took a lot of pleasure in his construction crew, an affection that was evident, mutual, and demonstrated well throughout the informal, unofficial retirement party that his crew threw for him.
It was after buying vacant land in La Paz Valley, south of Quartzsite, Arizona, while their well was being dug, that new neighbors showed up on a couple of vacant properties about 1 ½ blocks south of their property and across the wash.
With coffee cups in hand, the Murphy's set out to "mosey across the wash" to meet the new neighbors. When the Murphy's arrived, there was a big guy with a shovel crossing the yard, so Murph approached him saying "Hi, I'm Darrell Murphy and this is my wife, Jean." To that, the big guy repeated "Darrell Murphy?" Then he asked, "Did you ever spend any time in Boise?" As Darrell sputtered, Jean replied, "Yes, but a long time ago." Then the big guy asked, "Did your folks live out on Hill Road?" And a still stunned Darrell replied, "Well, yes." Then the big guy erupted into "Well, you Son-of-a-Bitch, I'm your best friend Art Cox and I've been looking for you for 42 years!" Accompanying Art was Pat, Art's former Boise High girlfriend, and years later his wife, and David Mallard, another school friend, and his wife Nancy. From that moment on, the Murphy's lives were changed. They all worked together gathering firewood, extracting flagstone from 'The Point' for patios, and helping each other establish their desert homes. They also shared the desert with each other, taking sightseeing drives, hikes, and searching for desert roses, crystals, and geodes. They played together, dined together in each other's houses, gathered around campfires enjoying pot luck dinners and each other's company, and everybody's extended families.
For the Murphy's, life was grand in La Paz Valley. They were joined by Darrell's sister Donna and husband Jack, (who shared a very special friendship with Darrell that predated his marriage to Donna), Darrell's uncle H. Lloyd Cousin and wife Rae came for winters, and Darrell's brother Von and wife Mary settled in Arizona, too. The Murphy's entertained many, many visiting family members and friends there, always in their relaxed comfortable style.
And then, Darrell Dean Murphy died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 12, 1995, at age 65 years, 2 months and 7 days, at his home in La Paz Valley, Quartzsite, Arizona, where he and his wife, Jean, had lived for 5 years, having moved there from La Grande, Oregon.
Cause of Death: Cardiac Tamponade, caused by Aortic Dissection
Born: April 6, 1930, in Emmett, Gem County, Idaho to Emmet & Gladys Marie (Cousin) Murphy, both of whom died in a train/car collision in 1960, when Darrell was 30 years old.
Darrell & Jean Murphy celebrated 45 2/3 years of happiness, togetherness and all that goes into making a good marriage GREAT. Written by Jeanie Murphy
Survivors Included His Wife: Barbara Jean (Root) Murphy, Age 63, whom he called Jean, when he could remember her name. Written by Jeanie
A Funeral Service was held Friday, June 16th, 1995, at Parker Funeral Home, Parker, Arizona for those who came to Arizona in the sweltering heat, followed by a Memorial Picnic outside of La Grande, at his brother's house in Union, Oregon on Sunday, July 2nd, 1995, for the many friends and family members who came there. We all felt lost.
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